Spring snow in Tahoe...

Boardin' in Lake Tahoe, California...

End of Peace Corps Service Trip To Nepal

Here are photos from my COS trip to Nepal. I spent two weeks on the Everest Base Camp trail and in Kathmandu.

Entering the temple

With my landlord's family at the temple.

My neighbor's baby who they nicknamed "Joe."

Dressed up in formal wear inside the main temple.

View from our room. Each room has two monks and we sleep on the floor. Each morning we would wake up at 4 a.m. to pray for about an hour followed by walking for alms.

Hanging out before breakfast. This is right after we walked around the neighborhood asking for alms. Most people come out and put a scoop or two of rice in our bowls and some people give food that is eaten with rice. This is all taken back to the temple and eaten first by the monks and then by the lay people who come to pray with the monks each morning.

Sharing a few laughs as we're trying to shoot mangos off the tree with a slingshot.

Blamaw, my co-teacher's son who became a monk at the same time as myself. We spent a week together at the temple.

Relaxin' by the window watching some kids swim in the pond that surrounds the main buiding at the temple.

During the ceremony to become a monk. It's usually a two-day process. The first day is the shaving of your head and eyebrows and then the next morning entering the temple to have your "lay" clothes removed and replaced with robes. If you're wondering...no underwear.

This is the outfit you are dressed in for the 24 hours before entering the temple. At this point, Thais consider you a "Nak" which is not yet a monk but higher than a lay person.

Shortly after shaving our heads and wearing our "Nak" uniforms.

Siem Reap, Cambodia

Last weekend a friend and I got the chance to take a trip to Siem Reap, Cambodia, which is the site of a host of temple ruins dating as far back as the 9th century. We saw a variety of architecture and the history surrounding this area is amazing. Here are some pics from our trip...

The main temple of the Angkor Wat complex at sunrise.

Right before sunset outside of Angkor Wat

Sunset with a beer sitting on ruins.

This is from a landmines museum outside of the city. A cambodian man who grew up as a child soldier in the Khmer Rouge has dedicated his life to the education, locating and disarming of landmines throughout Cambodia.

A neat temple that was built in a miniture scale. The doors located at the middle of each building are only about two feet high.

A shot in the ruins.

Ancient script carved into a doorway of one of the temples. It's a beautiful script that reminds me of Thai.

You SHALL NOT PASS.

A nice afternoon in a lush valley near a waterfall. Chillin' with cattle.

Enjoying the waterfall after a short hike.

Along the stream leading to the waterfall monks have carved the stones into Hindu and Buddhist images.

Partner in crime.

Our "private" tour of Angkor Wat given to us by a security guard who spoke Thai. At the moment they are doing rennovation of the upper areas of the temple, so it's off-limits. However, for a few bucks you make your way up there to see some awesome views!

This guy was a natural in front of the camera. As soon as people begin snapping pictures he was rolling around striking a pose.

An intricate carving in an archway in a side corridor of Angkor Wat.

Angkor Wat!